Unfettered
by xcrstfallenstrx
Summary: Ban is offered a mission with Shido, but he doesn't want to take it. Ginji lulls him into compliance, but what will happen when he finally sees Shido for who and what he really is? Lousy summary I know...


**Warnings:** This story is rated **NC-17** for crass language and explicit sexual content… This story also contains yaoi… as in m/m sex… don't like… go away…

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Get Backers… But I wish I did… Ban is yummy… plus I lose things all the time…

**Pairing:** shidoXban

**Also:** This story hasn't been beta read, but I'm fairly anal about revision and spell check and the like, so there should be very few grammatical errors. Hopefully none, but my word program has been spazzing out lately, and telling me that things I know I've spelled right are spelled incorrectly.

Oh and Ban may be a bit ooc in this story, but then again is anything really ooc for Ban Midou?

**Notes: **I realized after my first review, that I didn't update this section before I posted this story, so I wanted to come in and make some changes. I posted this story on another website several months ago. I never recieved any reviews, and I was hoping I'd get some better results here. This however, is the first fanfic I ever wrote, and my first lemon scene EVER. Since then, I've written a bunch of other stories. Two of them are complete, and are both now posted here, I also have several works in progress, and hope to have them up soon.

So yes please read and review… I can use all the help I can get…

* * *

**Unfettered**

Ban and Ginji sat before a long white counter. Ban had an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips, nearly purple shades placed at the tip of his nose, annoyance radiating from every pore. _Must he always beg?__,_he thought, choosing to ignore every time he'd ever pleaded to be fed. Besides, this was a completely different story. He only solicited food when it had been an exceedingly long time. They ate yesterday, so to him, it wasn't a big deal. _But he's doing a damn good job_, he thought with a small smile reserved for his closest, and admittedly, only, genuine friend.

Ginji pressed his face into the counter drooling and mumbling, doing his best impression of a man about to succumb to starvation, and not surprisingly, the naïve waitress gave in, again. "Okay you win this time, Ginji." Natsumi said with a smile. "What would you like?"

"I'll have eggs, and bacon, and pancakes, and…"  
"Alright. What about you Ban?"  
"Just coffee."  
"You sure? My treat. I won't even put it on your tab," she added sweetly.  
"That's it, thanks."  
"Okay," she replied suspiciously.

When his coffee came he took the cup and ashtray over to their favorite booth and settled in. Ginji bounced over a few seconds later, after thanking Natsumi profusely, and joined him. He took a sip of his coffee and smiled a small smile. Paul may be a dick, but the Honky Tonk had the best coffee in town.

The bell above the door jingled, and Ginji's eyes grew ten fold, a huge smile radiated from his cheeks. "Miss Hevn!" he squealed and raced over to wrap her in a hug. Hevn shrugged him off as her obscenely large breasts jiggled behind the tight red fabric, which left very little to the imagination.

"You got a job for us, Hevn?" Ban asked in a bored tone as he took a drag from his cigarette.  
"Something like that."  
"Then please have a seat," Ban said warmly, changing his tone.  
"Cut the crap, Midou. Paul?"  
"Yep?"  
"Coffee."  
"Got it," Paul replied shortly as he pulled his head back into the kitchen.  
"So what's the job, Hevn?"  
"I'm still waiting on someone."

Ginji took his place next to Ban and quickly began to fidget. He always had more energy then necessary. The bell chimed again and Ban went rigged. Ginji looked up and smiled, "Shido."

"My, my, what is that stench? Oh… Ban… Hi." Shido said with a sneer.  
"Listen here, Monkey Boy…"

_Did he just…_

"Now, now," Hevn called as Shido clenched his fists. "Everybody play nice. I've got a job from a very special client," Hevn said as Shido, seemingly having calmed down, took a seat beside her.

"Does special mean rich?"  
"Yes, Ginji."  
"Oh boy, that means we get to eat meat tonight, Ban."  
"I'm afraid that's not going to happen," Hevn murmured.  
"Why?" Ginji asked with a frown.  
"Well…"  
"Spill It, Hevn… and what's the Monkey Trainer doing here?"  
"Hey snake for brains…"

"Enough!!" Hevn sighed wondering why she had thought this was such a great idea. "He's here because he's going to be your partner for this job. It will probably take three or four days since the client is just about to leave on a business trip. The drop off won't be until he returns."

"No way…" Ban muttered through grit teeth.  
"Oh come on, Ban, we've worked with him before," Ginji whined.

"The choice is yours. Although to be truthful, you don't have much time to decide. The client is willing to pay five million yen, plus any job related expenses, and wants this job done as quickly and quietly as possible."

Ban took a long puff of his cigarette, smoke slipping from his lips, eyes resting on the smoke gyrating it's way from the end of his cigarette. "So…?" Hevn inquired.

He took a sip of his coffee, and with a sigh replied, "We'll take it."  
"I'm in," the Beast Master agreed.  
"Good," she stated smugly.  
"So where are we going, Miss Hevn?"  
"Well actually… I'm sorry, Ginji, but… I only need Ban and Shido on this one."  
"But…."

Ban stubbed out his cigarette violently. Pulled out his soft pack of reds from his chest pocket, and lit another. "If Ginji isn't going… neither am I."

"You've already taken the job, Ban. How about a little professionalism?" she sniped curtly. "Besides," she said when she saw Ginji frown, "I have another job, specifically for Ginji. A one man assignment that he's perfect for. It requires someone of his particular, hmmm, talents, shall we say?"

Ban noticed the gleam in her eye, and wanted to shudder. _I don't know what she's got in mind but it's no good_…

"No way," he growled.  
"Baaan…."  
"No!"  
"Give us a couple minutes, Hevn," Ginji said softly.  
"Okay," she replied, and stood to leave Ginji to work his magic.  
"I'm not changing my mind, Ginji."  
"Shido, I'm sorry but could you…"  
"Yeah…"  
"Oi… Beat it pet boy," Ban said with a flick of his wrist.

_Son of a_… But his inner voice was silenced by a none too gentle hand on his wrist, that pulled him away from the table, and pushed him into a stool at the counter by his shoulders.

"Ban…" Ginji began, but he wasn't in the mood.  
"I said no Ginji, and I mean it."  
"Look, Ban…"

"No means fucking no. N, O, NO! You know how much I hate that fucker. Hell no! We'll probably just end up killing each other." Ban obviously wasn't feeling very flexible today, so Ginji resorted to his super secret technique. It was flawless and worked every time.

Shido sat at the counter enjoying a cup of coffee. He watched as Ban and Ginji debated the finer points of this deal. _More like the finer points of their imminent starvation if they don't take it_, Shido thought to himself. His eyes followed Ginji as he stood up, a huge smile on his face, took some flyers, and before disappearing out the front door said, "I'll be back to get my assignment from you later, Miss Hevn."

"So what are we doing?" Ban asked raising his mug to his lips, not bothering to hide his scowl.  
--------------------------------------------

Ban and Shido were flying down the expressway. He weaved them through the tight traffic at high speed with relative ease. Riding on two wheels more then once, to narrowly avoid an accident. The ashtray in the consol was over-flowing and Ban wore a grimace on his lips. "Watch where you're going asshole!" he shouted out the window, while shaking his fist.

Shido sat beside him feeling a bit green around the gills. His skin was clammy and he was panting slightly. Weather it was from the near heart attack he had every five minutes, or the cloudy car, he couldn't be sure. He turned to Ban and appraised his features.

Ban raised his eyebrow, "What the fuck are you starring at?"  
"Could you maybe crack the windows?"  
"Why would I do that?"

"Because you've been chain smoking for the last four hours you snake bastard… and I can't fucking breathe… plus the smell is killing me," Shido shouted.

"Well then I can finish this job in peace, Monkey Boy," Ban mumbled around the cigarette between his lips, and continued to puff away, occasionally blowing smoke in Shido's direction.

Shido sneered and turned to face the window. "Inconsiderate bastard…" he muttered under his breath, with a slight cough. A cough that once it passed, wouldn't stop coming back, relieving him of precious oxygen.

When Shido began to cough uncontrollably, Bans eyes widened behind his ever-present shades, "Monkey Boy? You okay?" He just kept coughing, and his cheeks grew red. "SHIT!"

Ban opened all the windows and the sunroof. He threw his cigarette out the window and reached into the back seat. He pulled out a bottle of water and handed it to Shido. Shido grabbed the bottle and chugged down half its contents. The car finally began to aerate and his skin returned to a more normal shade.

"Thanks… I didn't know you cared."  
"I don't… but Ginji would have fried my ass if you didn't make it home in one piece."

Ban lit another cigarette and steered them onto an exit ramp…

Sometime near sunset they pulled into an empty parking garage and drove to the top level, parking to the far left. They waited until nightfall and got out. Ban had binoculars in one hand and a lit smoke in the other. Across from the parking garage was a five-story building. Made entirely of frosted glass and steel, the very description of modern architecture… Tsousen Industries.

Ban lifted the binoculars and scanned each window from bottom to top. Stopping at the upper-most window on the far right. It's the office of Imitaki Tsousen, owner and CEO, and the most likely location for their target. The light in the office is on, and there sitting on the desk…

"I can see the box. It's in Imitaki's office just like Hevn said. Question is how do we get to the top floor without anyone seeing us?"

"We could ask a few of my friends for help…"

Ban rolled his eyes and watched the office door open. Imitaki walked into his office and picked up the box. "Oh I see… so they will notice us… but they aren't going to notice 500 mice running down a hallway?"

"I never said they wouldn't notice. They just won't have any idea what's going on."  
"What like a distraction?"  
"Exactly."  
"That's not half bad, Monkey Boy."  
Shido couldn't help but smile, "Yeah well…"  
"Shit!"  
"What?"  
"Imitaki just put the box in a safe."  
"So much for quiet…"  
--------------------------------------------

Ban and Shido stood in the alley behind Tsousen industries. Ban was busy finishing his cigarette while Shido called his 'friends'. He snubbed the cigarette out and moved towards the emergency exit. Shido filled in his tiny helpers and they vanished into the sewer to comply with his wishes.

Shido joined Ban at the door and waited for it to open. Finally it did. As they closed the door behind them several tiny feet scampered off down the hallway. They entered a stairwell to the right, taking the stairs two at a time, they reached the top floor in minutes.

"One Hundred Beasts Semblance: Cat Semblance," Shido said and leaned towards the door listening.  
"Well?"  
"I don't hear anything."  
"Let's go."  
"Wait…"  
"Why?"  
"My cat ears can't pick up anything. Not a humming computer, or vents kicking on and off. Nothing. It's almost too quiet."  
"So what? Are we just going to stand in this stairwell all night?"

"No… we just need to be careful. That's all I'm saying." Ban opened the door and crept into the hallway. Shido shook his head, "Brainless Snake…" he whispered softly then followed Ban down the hallway, keeping his senses as alert as he could. They really didn't need any trouble.

Once they were inside Imitaki's office, Ban walked over to a painting, lifted it, and set it on the ground. Behind it was a green safe, with a black dial and a long silver handle. It was the same one he saw last night. Shido had the office door cracked and was keeping a look out. "Found the safe… It's made out of some kind of metal… but it's not steel… I should be able to break it."

"Well then get on with it, Midou. I got a bad feeling…"  
Ban turned to the safe and grabbed the handle. "Snakebite!" He pulled and the door easily fell off.  
Shido heard the crunch of metal and turned around, "That's not half bad, Snake Bastard."

A near invisible smile graced Ban's lips as he reached into the safe and pulled out a gray box. He opened it and found the computer chip they were looking for. "Got it… lets go." Ban put the box in his pocket for safekeeping.

They moved into the cubicle office area, and started down the hallway they came from. Halfway to the emergency stairs Shido stopped, grabbed Ban by the shoulder, and pulled the shorter man behind him forcefully. "What they hell are you doing asshole?"

"Shush… We got company."  
"From where?"  
"Straight ahead."  
"Split up?"  
"Yeah."

"You go right, I'll go left. Meet at the car in five." Shido nodded his understanding. "You better or I'll leave your ass here," Ban said as he jogged back to the hallway that lead left.

Shido took the hallway to the right and easily reached the emergency exit. He flew down the stairs, thinking the whole way about what Midou had said. He didn't think he would be left behind, but he wouldn't put anything past the snake charmer. At the ground floor he threw open the door before him and found himself in a large dark room.

"So you must be our trouble maker?"

"Who the hell are you?" Shido asked his enhanced ears allowing him to place the exact location of the gravely, and obviously male, voice in the complete darkness.

An intense light clicked on burning Shido's retinas. Once he adjusted to the light he took in long crimson hair, steel blue eyes, deathly pale skin, and a shakujo (1). "Oh my! Shido Fuyuki… now this is a pleasant surprise."

"Wish I could share the sentiment."

"Now that's not very nice. I shall have to punish you." Komouri lunged forward twirling his staff like fan blades. The crescent shaped blade flicked out with ease, and Shido jumped back and left.

"I see that you've improved, Komouri."

"Wish I could share the sentiment, Fuyuki," he said with an arrogant laugh. He struck again and Shido dodged right. The chain rattled as it flew from its casing, and caught Shido around the neck. Komouri pulled the chain taught his face glowing with twisted glee.

Shido struggled with the chain that pinched his skin, but the more he pulled the tighter it became. His vision began to tunnel, growing smaller by the second. His limbs turned to cement.

"Hey, scarlet fever…"

Komouri used his weapon to throw Shido towards the wall with a vast amount of strength, that shouldn't have been possible for a man his size. Shido's body slammed into the wall leaving a human shaped dent in the white plaster.

The small pinhole abandoned him and he was left to dwell in darkness…  
--------------------------------------------

Shido began to stir, and immediately noticed that he could breathe. His fingers and toes responded to his will, and he was lying on a very soft blanket. He opened his eyes and took in a rather nice hotel room. Not extravagant, but it was nowhere near a roach motel.

He looked over and Ban was leaning out the window, forearms planted on the windowsill. His hair was wet and hung around his face, and his chest uncovered. Shido could smell the sweet scented soap from across the room.

"Morning sunshine," Ban said as he turned to face Shido, cigarette dangling from his lips.  
"What happened?"

"It's been taken care of," Ban replied flatly. He flicked his cigarette and moved away from the window. Hands resting in his pockets as he gracefully lounged at the foot of the bed, his back facing Shido.

"Did you kill him?"  
"The job always comes first jackass."  
"Fuckin' bastard..."  
"Lets just say he had a very pleasant dream."

Shido raised his hands to his throat and could feel several small cuts and swollen bruises. Ban turned to him and saw shadows dance in his eyes. This was the first time Ban realized that the man sitting before him had just as many secrets as he did.

"So who was he?"  
"Komouri Zimichi."

Ban sat down on the bed Indian style and placed an ashtray on his knee, "Obviously not a fan of yours," he said as he lit another cigarette.

A haunted look flickered in Shido's eyes, then receded, as he glowered, "No."  
"Whys that?"  
"He used to be a… friend."  
"What happened?"  
"Does it matter?"  
"Not really."

They both fell silent, each taken aback by the relative ease of their interaction. This was the first cordial, if not pleasant, conversation they'd ever had.

Ban watched as Shido tried to make himself comfortable. He noted the tension that flowed through every muscle and the tight clench of his jaw. Shido finally settled in with his back against the pillows, long legs stretched across the bed. When Shido looked up Ban took deep consideration of what he saw in those unyielding eyes.

Shido walked a very fine line between man and beast. His entire body screamed self-restraint, but his eyes were wild and hungry. If the eyes were the windows to the soul, then his soul was that of a caged wolf. It paced in the shadows and sought to hunt and do battle. Ban frowned as the image of Madoka floated through his mind.

Shido perceived Ban's mood change immediately. "What's your problem, Midou?" Ban grabbed the ashtray from his knee and walked back to the window. "Snake for brains… I'm talking to you."

"Kept Man doesn't agree with you, Shido," Ban muttered softly, and turned to stare at the moon.  
"Oi you fuckin sna…" Shido stopped mid-rant, "What did you just call me?"  
"Does it matter?"  
"Not really."

Shido watched Ban for a while his mind trying to grasp what he could have possibly meant. That wasn't his usual snippy tone, nor was it the voice he used to tease. Finally his curiosity won out, "What did you mean by that?"

Ban turned to him, removing the cigarette from his lips, "Mean by what?"  
"That kept man doesn't agree with me bullshit…"  
"Nothing. Forget it."  
"Don't try my patience, Midou."  
Ban took off his glasses and sighed, "It was just a thought. Something about your eyes."  
"What about them?"

"They just seemed… I don't know…" Ban paused choosing his words carefully. Shido inwardly braced himself for the onslaught of a sharp tongue. "Your eyes are… primal… free… like the beasts you surround yourself with. A feral creature like you shouldn't be kept in a gilded cage, Fuyuki." Shido's jaw dropped to the floor, and for some reason a blush spread across his cheeks.

Shido had thought the first comment was a shock, but the second really knocked him on his ass. Very few had ever noticed the animalistic energy that flowed through his veins. Certainly no one had ever been accepting of it once they had… none but the Jagan Master…

Without a second thought as to what he was about to do Shido moved across the room, looked the shorter man in the eyes, and kissed him. This kiss was chaste and his lips lingered for a moment, but Ban pulled away. Confusion written all over his face, he was completely bewildered.

Ban gazed into Shido's eyes and saw that primal energy mixing with something he hadn't seen before… lust. He couldn't find a reason for his sudden need to quench the fire in the other mans heart. "Ban I…"

Ban grabbed Shido's head and pulled him down for a kiss. His tongue slithered in and grazed slowly over Shido's. At first there was no response, but then it was returned with ferocity. Shido's tongue battled with his own, then ventured to trace his teeth and leave small strokes along the underside of his tongue.

Shido moved him to the wall and tilted his head back, his hand laying flat against Ban's throat. He licked along the ridge of his collarbone, stopping to suck the sensitive skin. Ban let a small groan loose, and Shido smiled against his skin.

He continued the trail his tongue had started moving up to Ban's shoulder. When he reached the crook he bit down, twisting the skin in small circles. Feeling the shorter man shiver, he released the skin and ran his lips up the slender neck in a gentle caress. Ban unleashed a startled moan at the vast difference in sensations.

He slid his thigh between the other mans legs and rubbed it along his erection. "S-Shido…" Ban muttered breathily as he ground him self against that thigh, relishing in the friction. He moved his hands up and removed Shido's vest. Pulling the black shirt from his pants he ran his hands along the well-muscled stomach, fingernails running along the hard ridges.

Shido growled in both pleasure and pain as he felt a few drips of blood trickle down his stomach. He pulled the shirt from his body and gazed in fascination as Ban ran his fingertips through the trail of blood. Then lifted his fingers to his lips and licked it away.

The sight of Ban's tongue twirling around his own finger strained what little control Shido still had over his bestial half. He wrapped one arm around Ban's waist and lifted him off the floor his hand resting below, what to him seemed, a perfect ass. Two slender legs found purchase around his hips as he slammed Ban into the wall.

With an upward thrust of his hips he rubbed their covered erections together. Delighting in the friction he repeatedly ground his hips into Ban's, trying to find some small amount of satisfaction. "Uh… S-Shi-do… stop…"

"What? Why?" he asked frustration evident in his coarse voice.  
"I was too close…"

Staking ultimate claim to the other mans lips he sucked the tender muscle into his own mouth and ran his teeth along it. Ban released a quivered sign, but it was swallowed whole by Shido's throat. He drew back ending the kiss with a nip that left a trickle of blood spilling from Ban's lip and flowing down his chin. He licked the red river and soothed the sore.

He returned the other man to his feet and ran his hands along the half naked form before him slowly stroking the velvety skin of Ban's sides. Ban bucked under the gentle caress. He ran his palms and fingernails roughly over the stiff planes of the pale stomach. Then his hands moved to remove the only thing that remained in the way of his possession of the smaller man.

Once the pants were gone he looked with untamed eyes at the beauty before him that was his to take… his and his alone. Ban's erection was released into the coldness of the room and a shudder moved through him. Shido took two steps back and looked down at him, "I want you to touch yourself."

Ban took his throbbing member in hand, his fingertips lightly caressing the tip. Ban turned curious eyes to Shido, and he nodded back. He wrapped his palm around the base of his shaft and stroked upwards quickly, then moved back down slowly. "Fuck…"

He increased his pace his head lolling backwards against the wall. His hair was tussled and his breath came in short gasps. He gave the other man a searing gaze. His heart pounded in his chest as he watched Shido watching him. "Shido…" Ban called in a sigh.

He needed no more provocation than that begging tone. He moved in and lowered his mouth to Ban's erection and licked the pearl at its tip. He raised two fingers to the serpents mouth and Ban complied. Moistening them with his organ and nipping as they slid from his lips.

Shido ran his teeth gently along the length of Ban's shaft then his tongue circled the tip and dipped into the small slit. Gently, as he tongued the responsive underside of engorged flesh, he slid one finger past the tight muscle. Ban shifted uncomfortably, he continued his ministrations to distract from the discomfort.

He took Ban's member into his mouth as deeply as he chose and sucked from mid-shaft up his tongue continuing its lazy movements. Once he reached the tip he pulled him in and out of his mouth a few times quickly then resumed his decent. His hips bucked involuntarily, fucking Shido's mouth.

Ban's hand fisted into his hair and pulled tightly as he slipped a second finger in. His fingers moved apart stretching him. They came together again and he stroked searching for the bundle of nerves. Having found it, he pressed sharply. Ban shouted as he saw stars.

Shido used this opportunity to take Ban into the back of his throat and hummed over the aroused flesh. "Oh God, Shido…" he slipped a third finger past the tight muscles. Ban winced and sunk his teeth into his lip to avoid crying out in pain.

Now satisfied that Ban was properly stretched he removed his hot mouth and replaced it with his warm palm. He stroked quickly as Ban met each move with a thrust. Shido's other hand worked to free his soaking shaft from the stranglehold of his pants. Now free he gave the erection in his hand a slight squeeze as he stroked upwards. Ban screamed as he found his release, his seed spilling into Shido's hand.

Shido kissed the other man fiercely as he coated his dripping erection with his soon to be lovers seed. He didn't wait for the other man to catch his breath before he began to stroke him again. Igniting a new fire even as Ban's body still trembled from his first climax.

Shido lifted him off the ground, rested his back against the wall, and legs took up their position around his waist. He slowly eased himself inside stopping when the head reached just beyond the pucker. "I'm not gonna break, Monkey Boy."

He pushed himself all the way in and reveled in the feeling of Ban clamping around him. Without giving Ban time to adjust, he pulled out and slid back in, "Huh… Ban… So tight…" He pulled out again and slammed back in, setting a maddening pace. After a few strokes Ban matched his movements, pushing his hips down as Shido moved up, taking him in as deeply as possible.

"Fuc… Ban…" He shifted his hips so he could hit Ban's sweet spot with every stroke. Shido ran a hand down sweat dampened flesh and took his lovers pulsing erection in his hand, stroking slowly in opposite time to his pumps.

"Oh god… I'm gonna…" The mixture of speeds made Ban's nerve endings tingle and his head dizzy. He dug his fingernails into the other mans back as he came.

Shido carried Ban to the bed, their bodies still joined. He laid them both down gently as he waited for Ban to recover. Ban's eyes were dazed and sated. Shido slid out slowly. Only then did the smaller man realize that he was still hard. "Shido?"

"I wasn't ready yet… but it's okay." He moved down to Ban's half-mast erection and blew across the tip. Then encompassed it in the heat of his mouth once again. Moving up and down he brought him back to full arousal in minutes. "Get on your hands and knees." He commanded, in a jagged voice, and Ban complied.

Shino slid into him swiftly angling his hips to just the right degree. Shido hit his prostate the first time around and Ban lost all sense of reality. "Harder…" he moaned.

Gripping the other mans hips so tightly it was sure to leave marks, Shido pumped mercilessly. "Faster, Shido…" Ban slammed his hips backwards meeting Shido thrust for thrust. He picked up the pace even though he was sure Ban would be a wreck tomorrow.

Shido ran a hand up Ban's slick spine gripping the hair at the nape of his neck. Shido could tell he was close, so he pulled the raven locks in his hand tightly, pulling the other man flush against his chest. "Come for me one more time…" his lust deepened voice demanded…

Shido's voice reverberated in Ban's ears, the sound touching the beast hidden within him, the creature of his baser human needs. And just as Shido commanded the creatures of the forest, his demand did not go unanswered. "SHIIDO!" he cried out as he came forcefully.

Ban's muscles clamped down and drew him in. He unleashed an animalistic howl as he came, flowing into Ban's tight heat. He buried his teeth in pale smooth flesh, blood filling his mouth, as he continued to thrust his hips so Ban's body could fully milk his release.  
--------------------------------------------

Ban and Shido sat in complete silence as they drove to the drop off. Ban smoked like a chimney, but left all the windows and sunroof open. He was sore as hell, and wondered what would happen in the next few hours.

They arrived at their destination, and Shido got out of the car. Shido grabbed the briefcase, and set it on the ground. He looked through its contents, and handed the man the gray box. He returned to the car, and they made it back onto the expressway without incident.

Ban turned on the radio to escape the suffocating silence the man, who had been his lover only a few hours ago, had imposed. Ban spent the next four hours smoking and watching cars flash by as he passed them on the road, while Shido separated the money into two equal parts.

Just after nightfall they reached the Honky Tonk. Ban opened his door and moved to leave but Shido stilled him. "Ban…"

"It's okay, Shido. I had a good time." Ban shut his door and walked towards the familiar doors, which marked a place that was essentially his home.

"Ban… Wait…" Shido called resting his hand on the shorter mans shoulder.  
Ban shrugged the hand away, "I gotta get inside. Ginji is probably wondering where I am."  
"You can't stand to listen to what someone else has to say can you?"  
"Not when I already know what they're going to say."  
"Ban, how could you possibly know…"  
"Just go back to your master," he said coldly, and disappeared through the door.  
"Ban! Your back! How'd it go?" He was wrapped in a tight hug before he made it three steps into the restaurant.

"It went great, Ginji." That got a few raised eyebrows, namely those belonging to Paul and Natsumi. "How about some dinner? You hungry?"

"You bet." Ginji shrieked.  
"No free food for you, mooch," Paul said.  
"Who said anything about free?" Ban asked.  
"You mean you actually got paid?" Natsumi asked disbelieving.  
"Yeah. Now get us a couple pizzas."  
"Oh I LOVE pizza, Ban," Ginji sung, tears nearly spilling down his cheeks. "FOOD!!"

Ban sat down at his favorite booth and fished out a cigarette. He lit up and took a long relaxing drag. Ginji sat down across from his best friend, and noticed a different sadness about him. This was a far cry from one of Ban's typical bad moods.

"Hey Ban… you okay?"  
"Yeah. Long couple days."  
"You sure?"  
"Yeah. I'm gonna take a walk."  
"But Ban…" All Ginji could do was stare after him in bewilderment…

Ban hadn't even had a piece of pizza yet…

Ban strolled aimlessly taking random lefts and rights. He had no particular direction to go anyway. He lost himself in the slight sting of his thighs, as they pinched with every stride. He moved seamlessly through the bodies on the sidewalk without even acknowledging the people he passed.

Falling deeper into his own mind, he walked for hours. When he finally felt clear-headed he took in his surroundings and was shocked at where he found himself…

He was standing in front of steps that lead to a large apartment above a garage. He flicked his cigarette away, removed his sunglasses, and climbed the stairs. He hesitated for only a moment before he knocked on the door.

After a minute or two the door swung open, "Ban?" a surprised voice asked, "What are you…"

Ban grabbed two handfuls of tan vest and dragged the man to him for a kiss that left them both struggling for air. "Would…" Shido cleared his throat, "Would you like to come in?"

"What do you think Monkey Boy?"

~*Owari*~

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Okay so how was that? Please review. I need to know what I could have done better. I love constructive criticism. Let me know what you think…

1) Shakujo is a weapon. Sha Gojyo used one in the anime Saiyuki. The proper name is actually yuèyáchǎn, but Gojyo called it Shakujo. Basically it's a long staff with a crescent shaped blade attached to a chain on one end, and a flat shovel type thingy on the other end. Anywho, I chose to call it a Shakujo because I wasn't sure if yuèyáchǎns blade is attached by a chain. Plus Shakujo sounds cooler, and Sha Gojyo rules. This is also the reason the bad man, with the bad weapon, has red hair. Couldn't pass up a chance at the connection I happily made in my head.


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